Resilient vehicle wheel



July 10, 1923.

. I T. S. HALLETT RES'I'LIENT VEHICLE WHEEL Filed June 8, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 TLSIIHHZZGE v July 10, 1923. 1,461,483

T. s. HALLETT l RESI LI-ENT VEHICLE WHEEL Filed June 8, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jul lo, 1923. T r 1,461,483

. T. S. HALLETT RESILIEVNT VEHICLE WHEEL Filed June 8, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 v fw w [so construct the ,hub and spokesthat-the.

Patented July 10, 1923.

mEo ns s. HALLETT, or MILE-54, ammnmyommnnw "I RESILIENT VEHICLE Application filed June a,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, THoMAs S. HALIETT, citizen of Canada, residing at Milefit, in the Province of Alberta and Dominion of Canada, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Vehicle \Vheels, of which the following-is a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in resilient vehicle wheels and more.v particularly that type comprising a hub, an annular series of tread members, and means yieldably supporting the tread members with relation to the hub, and the general: object of the invention is to provide a wheel of this type which will possess substantially the same degree of resiliency as a pneumatic tired wheel, thus adapting it to absorb shocks and impacts in passing over inequalities inthe' road surface.

' One of the more specific objects ofthe invention is to so mount the tread members of the wheel that the tread as a whole will yield, in passing over inequalities in the road surface, and in a manner to most effectually cushion the impact of the wheel with such inequalities.

In the wheel embodying theinvention,

the tread members are mutually pivotally connected throughout the series, and another object of'the invention is to provide means interposed between the end walls of adjacent members for yieldably holding the members spread apartorseparate upon their pivots, this means yieldably resisting movement of the ends vof adjacentimembers toward eaeh other about their pivots and which movement occurs as the members are successively brought into contact Withlthe road surface, so that not only arethe members cushioned with relation" to [the hub, butthey are also cushioned with relation to each other, and maintained in true annular series except where thetread of the wheel comes Iin'contact with the groundsurface'.

A other object of the inventionjis to provide an improved construction of 'resilient spokes for axwheel of. the class "re ferred to and to. provide for adjustmentof the members comprising the spokes so that .the compression force of the springs may be veri das qu ed 1 a Another objectof the invention is to spokes may be readily and conveniently -of lfiignre 1,011, an enlarged scale, .j'

:the spokes of the whee1 ,h

Figure 3,

-a-nce with the invention, the 4 .hub is formed inwardly of..eaohlof,lits xends therefroinin the eventf repairsf'fbecome necessary, 7

. I th a empany ngi drawings; Figure 'l ils aside elevation 10f, the wheel I dyi g t i ven q a'. p 1,1 Figure 2' is a verticaljdiametric,sectional view taken substantiallyonj the line 52%2 Figure 3 is a detail bngit c'linal tional" e "thro gh- .a P rti 59 19 'g ffl' gure f t i t ns-v e nset one tie taken substantially on the line. L -t ot Figure 5 is group perspective jviewi; 5 I

illustrating two of the members, of the j j spokes relatively separated, a "Figure 6is a perspective viewfof one Of theftread members-of thewheehi/Q, Figure 7 c is a perspective view of the v v r a g Figure 8: isa side elevation illustrating fa v means which may b' e (employed,for the purpose of rigidly ,eonnecting ,thetreadriieinbers of. the wheel in th e ent it, 1idu1d;;, become desirable.

' Generally speaking, the wheel the invention oomprises a-'hubRwhiohjfi in- ,r

d c d in gen ralfibv h -num ra 131 tread indicated" by; the numeral 2;. and w spokes which radiate from the hub and support the members comprising the tread and which are indicated by the niimeralfii Q I,

V The hub 1 of the wheel comprises l havingaj bore which is tov-be 'shaped gto adapt thehub to be fitted ,to an a 1 spin the front or-the rear axle of an-automo-m bile, and inasmuch as any ofitheleusual constructions may be resortedftojforthis:

purpose and the invention is not. concerned I with any specific interior emamuoapry thehub, it willbe.understoodfthat;Ifam at liberty to variously design jtheu-hub as regards this portion thereofi. aecord with a radial eircumscribing fiang'e, EW-11;

ing an outwardlyprojectingportion -,6,1con-- centric to: the axis off the:hub-'andspacd from the outer surfaceloffth hub body 45, 1

the portions 6 "of the, fianges i .5. proj ecting in the direction of "respective ,ends of 5 ime . presently be made clear.

the hub body. The portions 6 of the flanges '5 of the hub are formed each with a circumferential series of slots 7 which open at their ends through the outer edges of the said portions of the flanges and which terminate at their inner ends in openings 8, the walls of which are threaded, the slots extending parallel to one another and to the axis of the hub, and the said slots and openings in the portions 6 of the flanges 5 being oppositely located. It will be observed at this point that the slots 7 are of a width less than the diameter of the respective openings 8, and the pun pose of thus proportioning the parts will Each of the spokes 3 comprises two longitudinally alined sections, and the inner section of each spoke includes in its struc- "ture a stem which is indicated by the numeral 9 and which is provided at one end with a spherical knob or enlargement 10, and at its other end is threaded as indicated by the numeral 11. The stem 9 is of a diameter to permit of its being introduced through one or another of the slots 7, in assembling the spokes with the hub,

and loosely fitted onto the stem 9 of each spoke is a bushing 12 which, after engagement of the inner end of the stem 9 through the respective slot 7, is to be slid longitudinally radially inward upon the stem and threaded into the respective opening 8, the bushing being exteriorly formed with threads 13 for this purpose and being provided at its outer end with some means for the application of a suitable wrench as for example, with notches 14 adapting it for the application of a spanner wrench. The inner end of the bushing 12 is concaved or cupped as indicated by the numeral 15. soas to adapt it to snugly bear against the spherical knob or head 10 at the inner end of the respective stem 9. A. jam nut 16 is threaded onto the bushing 12 and may be tightened so as to bear against the outer pheripheral surface of the portion 6 of the respective flange 5 forthepurpose of holdmg the bushing against rotation after it has been adjustably threaded into place and the desired adjustment of the parts, as will presently be explained, has been obtained. The inner section of the spoke further comprises a head 17 provided with a sleeve-like ortubular extension 18 which is interiorly threaded and receives the threaded end 11 of the respective stem9, a jam nut 19 be ing likewise threaded onto this portion of the stem to bearagainst the end of the ex ten's1on'18 and thushold the parts at adjustment. The outer section of each spoke comprises a stem which is indicated in general by the numeral 20 and which is provided at its outer end with an car 21 whereby it maybe pivotally connected with the respective tread member in a manner to be presently explained, and at its inner end is threaded as indicated by the numeral 22, this latter end of the stem being adjustably threaded into a bore 23 formed in a tubular or sleeve-like extension 2a of a head 25 which corresponds in structure to the head 17. interposed between the heads 17 and 25 of the inner and outer sections of the spoke is the cushioning means for the spoke which comprises a housing consisting of relatively slidable sections, and a spring disposed within and between the said sec tions. The housing above referred to is indicated in general by the numeral 26and the same is in the form of a substantially cylindrical barrel comprising sections indic'ated in general by the numeral. 27. These sections are oicounterpart form and each comprises a pair of spaced members 28 having the form of substantially one-fourth of a hollow cylinder divided longitudinally,

the lateral or longitudinal edges oat the members 28 being disposed in planes radial to the axis of the barrel as a whole and the sections being fitted together with the said edges of their members 28 in sliding contact as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. The members 28 of each section 27 are connected at one end by an integral web 29 which is of circular form and of a diameterequal to the internal diameter of the barrel so that the inner surfaces of the members 28 of one section 27 will have sliding contact with the peripheral portions of the web 29 of the other sections 27 which portions are located between the connected ends of the members 28 of the said other section. Thus, when the sections are assembled, in the proper manner illustrated in the drawings, the unconnected ends of the members 28 of each section will project beyond the connected ends of the members of the other section, and the webs 29 of the sections will be slidaloly received between the members 28 of the companion sections. The cushioning spring above referred to is indicated by the numeral 30, and the said spring is arranged within the barrel formed by the interfitting sections 27 and bears at its ends between the web 29 of the two sections. Inasmuch as the tendency of the spring '30 is to expand, it

faces of :the heads 17. and 25, the outer vWall of the 5 each groove being threaded as at 33 to coact with the threads/31 of the associated section 27.

It willno-w. be evident that the unconnected ends of the members 28 of the two sections '27 are to be threaded into the respective heads 17 and-25 after the sections 27 have beenImutuaHy assembled and the spring 30 has been interposed between them and Within the cylindrical barrel formed by them, and in this manner the inner and outer sections of thespokes the drawings.

The tread 'ofxthe wheel comprises an annular series of tread members, one of which is clearly illustratedin,detail'in Figure 6 of the drawings, and indicated in general by t-l'lGKIlUIIlQI'iLl 35. "The-said treadlmember is preferably of' integral construction; and

comprises spaced side portions '36, end

portions 37 which "extend between and connectthe oppositeends of the side portions 36, and a web'portion 38 which extends across the'space bounded by the side and end portions..' The outer edges 39 of the side portions 36 preferablyproject a suitable 'distance beyond the plane of the outer face of the webportion 38,'in order to providea non-slipping tread. :The outer edges of the end portions 37, however, terminate atthis plane, and the said edges of the poral 3-9, are longitudinally curved on such an are that when all of' the tread members are assembled in a series, theiredge'sf39 will all touch a common circle. The side portions 3601? the tread-member are formed at their inner corners with pivot ears, certain .of which are indicated'by the-numeral 40and others by the numeral 41, the ears "40 beinglocated 'at one end of the tread member and. occupying substantially, the same plane I as the respective side: portion 3 6.

and the ears '41. being offset. "whereby when a number of the members "areiassem-- bled end to end, the ears 4O and 41 of adjacent members will overlap and may be" pivotally connected. together by means of bolts In thismanner, the-tread mem bers 35 are connected in a continuous annular series and it will be evident that the members may have limited relative movement about the "connecting pivot bolts 42.- Each side "portion 36 of each member 35 is eformed' 'or provided, at its inner edge and midway between "its ends with" an upstanding apertured ear 43, and it is to these ears 43 that the outer ends of the stems 20 of the the drawings.

spok s ar p ta ly c nnecte by mea s Of bolts 44-as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. of

the springs 30 of theentire number, of spokes exert a centripetal action upon 1 1, 3 members comprising the tread of the wheel,

and-by adjusting the stems 9 and 20, either by turning them in their respective Sleeves 18 and- 24, or by turning the bushings -12 in the threaded openings 8, the pressure of-all of the springs may be equalized sothat. the hub will be maintained in iconcentric' re lation to the tread of the wheel and yieldably supported -with relation to the tread. It will also be evident, and -p ar-i ticularly by reference to Figure l o-f-- the drawings, that a plurality of theltread members35 will simultaneously contact'the road surface in the travel of the wheel thereover and will yield in an inward direction, the springs 30 of the spokes on the opposite side of the wheel,- resiliently suspending the hub within the bounds of the tread-and cushioning the travel ofthe wheel over inequalities in the roadsurface and absorbing shock incident to contact of the-wheel with 'such' inequalities. I

'-Not-;.only may the treadi nembers35 have relative moven'ient upon, their connecting pivots but they v are also pivotally rnoyable upon tllBbOltSnM which connect them with 3 the oute'raendsf o f -thespokes; 3', and'in' order to yieldably resist pivotal movement-:0

members and maintain them in true c-i u-m 'ferential alinement except whenthey-"a je'in contact with the road surface, meansisiprovided which will now beu describedr- Interposed between each two adjacent tread memt'ions 36, which are indicated by the numerhere 35 is a spring indicated in general by the numeral 45 and constituting the means Habove referred to. This spring 45 ,com-

.tions 1370f: jadj ace-nt tread members 35 and secured thereto by rivets or, otherwise as 1n-' dicated', by the numeral 48 Normally, the

It will now be evidentthat i intermediate; portions 46ofthe leaf springs 14.5 are closed to circular orcylindrical form 11. and the end portions 47 ofthe springs arein contactand-lby reason'of suchecontaet the connected tread members 35 are held in, relatively stationary vposition upontheir, re-

spective pivots'so as to assume a substan- :1;

tially circumferential alinement throughout the entire series. However, in the. travel'jof the wheel over a road surface, the -tread members 135 will be inwardly-displaced as they contact the road'surface andwill be in- 1 'fluenced to have relative movementi-upon their connecting-pivots 42",- the outer .cor-

11ers of--the side,- portions 36 ofqadjacent' tread members 35 being at such time brought together and substantially in contact as shown in the lower portion of Figure 1 of the drawings. Upon such pivotal movement of the members 35 with relation to each other, their adjacent end portions 37 will be relatively-separated as illustrated 'in the said Figure 1, and thus the ends or" the associated springs will be spread apart against the tension of the said springs; Thus, the pivotal movement of the tread members with relation to one another is yieldably resisted by the springs 45 and these springs serve to return the said members to normal position and into the circumferential line of the series, as the members leave the road surface in the rotation and travel of the wheel.

Should it for any reason be found desirable to restrain the tread members against relative pivotal movement, an annulus 49 may be disposed against the opposite sides of the tread of the wheel and secured in place by the bolts 42 which otherwise would pivotally connect the tread members, as illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a plurality of tread members, means resiliently connecting said members with the hub and adapted to draw the tread members toward the hub, means mutually pivotally'connecting adjacent ones of the said tread members, and means interposed between the ends of adjacent ones of the tread members and yieldably holding the members rocked upon their pivots in a direction to relatively spread their adjacent connected ends.

2. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a tread comprising a plurality of mutually pivotally connected members, means resiliently connecting the hub and tread members, and bowed springs interposed between the connected ends of adjacent tread members'and normally closed and holding the members rocked upon their pivots in a direction to separate their said adjacent connected ends.

3. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a tread comprising a plurality of tread members mutually pivotally connected at their adjacent inner corners, means resiliently connecting the hub and tread members, and bowed springs arranged between adjacent ones of the said members and having their ends connected thereto, the said springs yieldably holding the members rocked upon their pivots in a direction to mutually spread their connected adjacent ends.

' d. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a tread comprising a plurality of mutually pivotally connected tread members, the said members having end portions extending transversely,

means resiliently connecting the hub and tread members, and normally closed bowed springs arranged opposite the connected ends of adjacent ones of the tread members and having terminal portions secured to the end portions of the said tread members, the springs yieldably resisting pivotal movement of the said tread members with relation to one another.

5. In a wheel of the class described, a hub, a tread comprising a plurality of connected sections, and spokes radiating from the hub and connectedwith the members of the tread and comprising resiliently connected sections, and means whereby the sections of the spokes may be relatively adjusted to adjust the tension of the springs, said means comprising a sleeve on one of the sections of each spoke engaging said hub.

6. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a tread comprising a plurality of sections, and spokes extending radially from the hub and connected with the sections, the said hub comprising portions circumscribing its body in spaced relation thereto and provided with slots opening through one edge of each portion and terminating at their inner ends in threaded openings the spokes each comprising an inner and an outer section and the inner section including a stem having an enlarged inner end, the stems being of a diameter to pass through the respective slots in the said portions of the hub, and a bushing sleeve fitted onto each of the stems and movable longitudinally thereof and threaded into the respective opening in the said portions of thehub, and means resiliently connecting the inner and outer sections of each spoke.

7. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a tread, and resilient spokes extending radially from the hub and connected with the tread, each of said spokes comprising an inner section connected with the hub and an outer section connected with the tread, the said sections of the spokes further comprising cooperating barrel sections relatively slidable, and a cushioning spring housed within and between the said barrel sections.

8. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a tread, and resilient spokes extending radially from the hub and connected with the tread, each of said spokes comprising an inner section connected with the hub and an outer section connected with the tread, the said sections of each of the spokes further comprising cooperating barrel sections relatively slidable, and a cushioning spring housed within and between the said barrel sections, the said barrel sections being adjustably connected with the respective spoke sections whereby to provide for adjustment of the tension of 

